


Feel like falling

by MissSanguineOus



Series: Founding mother, founding father [5]
Category: Belgariad/Malloreon Series - David & Leigh Eddings
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-09
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2019-03-29 05:33:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13920435
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissSanguineOus/pseuds/MissSanguineOus
Summary: Taiba wants to bid Relg farewell before he leaves Riva. Relg looses a battle.





	Feel like falling

 

Taiba began searching for Relg in the afternoon. If someone asked her, she probably wouldn’t even be able to explain why. She just felt the need to know where he is. When they travelled from Rak Cthol, willy-nilly, she was always around him and by the time they reached Riva, she was so used to that state of things that not having the Ulgo nearby made her feel uneasy. Instinctively, Taiba knew Relg felt the same way. The only reason the woman was usually the first one to search his company was that she, unlike the Ulgo, didn’t fight with it.

The Marag knew the way to his room by heart and could follow it with her eyes closed. Truth be told, even if she tried to walk in any other direction, she'd probably end up in front of Relg's chamber anyway. At least that's what has been happening since they arrived in the castle. To the Ulgo as well and Taiba was amused every time she opened the door to her room, only to find the man walking to and fro nearby, with an uncertain expression, not sure how he got here and what for.

Most of the time, they ended up wandering around the castle or the town. Sometimes they talked, sometimes they didn't. When they did, it usually ended up in a more or less heated argument, which would result in Relg accusing Taiba of being a heathen and immoral, and Taiba calling Relg boring and a bigot, whereupon they parted, only to find each other once more an hour or two later.

But now, the Ulgo's room was empty and all of his belongings were gone, which meant he must have already left the fortress to board one of the ships which would take him to Camaar. Taiba felt a clench in her stomach. _Was she too late?_ There were no windows in Relg's room, obviously, so she had no way of checking whether the ships have already left. They weren't supposed to set sail very early in the morning, but she hasn't seen any of her friends while she was walking through the castle, so they may have already took off.

She ran out of the chamber and hurried upstairs. After reaching the ground floor, the woman quickly found the nearest window and looking through it, she saw the tall masts, rocking in the wind, which marked the harbour, obscured from her view by the buildings of the town. Taiba was almost sure that the tallest ones belonged to Barak's ship, one that the Earl of Trellheim, Relg and Hettar were supposed to sail on. So they were still here.

Taiba left the castle and walked quickly towards the harbour. The road there seemed unbearably long and at some point the Marag began to run, no longer pretending, even before herself, that she wanted to find Relg _just because_. She _had_ to find him. She _had_ to say goodbye. After all, she didn't know when they will meet again and she couldn't miss the last occasion to see him. And maybe vex him a little bit.

By then, if Taiba was more inquisitive, she would have begun to try to figure out the reason she felt as she did. But she wasn’t. She was straightforward and honest and did whatever her heart told her to, without questioning it. Right now, the Marag wanted to see Relg. It didn’t matter why, she just _had_ to.

Taiba passed the city gates and stopped for a second, trying to catch her breath ( _dear gods, was she really running that quickly because of Relg?_ ). Then she darted downhill towards the shore.

The woman reached the wharf and immediately spotted Barak, towering over everyone else, maybe except his cousin, the king of Cherek. So Relg must be nearby. But not here, not in the sun...

Taiba looked around. There were a couple of roofs, under which some of the horses and cargo awaited to board the ship. And near them, in the safe shadow, stood a figure in distinctive, lizard-like armour.

Taiba walked quickly towards the man.

“Leaving without a goodbye?” she called out, in her relief forgetting to sound teasing enough.

Relg’s head jerked up, but he didn’t reply.

Taiba approached him, a smile spreading across her lips. She sat on one of the wooden boxes, opposite Relg.

“When will you be back?” she asked.

The Ulgo cleared his throat, averting his gaze from her.

“As soon as I can” he said “It may take some time to rally the troops and we’ll have to return on feet... so at least a month. Probably more”

Taiba sighed. _Month, probably more_.

Relg looked at her strangely, so not to make it more awkward for them, the woman decided to say something that will annoy him a little bit and give him the excuse to start talking about UL and sin and damnation and they can both pretend they're not dejected by the parting.

“Be careful” she said “Don’t let anything eat you on the way”

Well, that wasn’t exactly what she planned.

Relg nodded unsurely.

Barak came to their aid, roaring 'All aboard!' from the deck of his ship, his voice probably audible on the entire island.

Taiba and Relg headed towards the ship. A couple of feet before the border of the safe shadow cast by the roof, the Ulgo began to search through his pockets for the band to protect his eyes from the sunlight.

“Here, take mine” Taiba said, taking out the piece of material she received from Relg months ago and for some reason kept with her at all times.

She stepped towards the Ulgo and, without thinking, covered his eyes with the band, tying it at the back of the man’s head.

Relg flinched and then froze, holding his breath, aware that the slightest movement can result in his skin brushing against hers. The thought was both terrifying and tempting. It was a bit like standing at the top of the cliff looking down and thinking ‘what would happen if I jumped?’

_Sin, sin, sin. Contamination. Everlasting atonement for that moment of weakness._

UL almighty, never before had he wanted to move so badly. Just an inch, that would be enough.

_And an inch too much, fool. An inch towards her, an inch away from UL._

When the Marag finally lowered her hands, Relg realized she was still standing frighteningly close to him. He could touch her face if he wanted to.

_He didn't want to_.

If he allowed himself to…

_But he wouldn't!_

Actually… would that be so bad?

_Yes, it would!_

But… maybe if he touched her very lightly, barely, almost not at all… Just for a moment, just to see how it feels like…

Maybe if he did he would lessen the temptation to do so the next time they meet... after all, he was going to Prolgu; he’ll be able to beg UL’s forgiveness in the holy caves… come to terms with all... _this_.

Just a slight touch…

If only UL hadn’t created him so weak…

As if it was a dream, Relg slowly raised his hand and stroked Taiba’s cheek with the tips of his fingers, barely even touching her skin. The woman’s violet eyes widened and the Ulgo felt his fingers tingle as if electrified.

He quickly stepped away from the Marag, hearing the blood rush in his ears, and darted towards the ship. Halfway through the gangplang, he heard Taiba calling after him:

“See you soon, Relg!”

Then the woman laughed joyfully and Relg was sure that the sound will be haunting him all the way to Prolgu.

He passed Barak and caught a glimpse of a wide grin underneath the Cherek's red beard.

“Not a word” Relg hissed, his face getting hot.

He hid below deck, trying not to look at anyone he passed and locked himself in his cabin, leaning agianst the door and sliding onto the floor.

_UL, forgive me._

 

 


End file.
